7 Video Games Everyone Should Play At Least Once

This post was inspired by a new friend, who asked me if I had any interesting games that I’d recommend. I get asked this question fairly often, and when it happens I always feel a little bit like a deer caught in headlights, my brain screeching to a complete halt as every game I’ve ever played becomes no more than a distant memory. So, to keep this from happening again I’ve decided to make this post with a few recommendations. Some of these are fairly well known to people all over, others are a little more obscure, but all of them are at least worth a try.

The following games are all story-driven games. I might do another list where I focus on other genres instead. We’ll see!

1. Pillars of Eternity
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: Role-playing
Difficulty for new gamers: Normal

With the release of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire less than a month away, it would be downright criminal of me not to mention the original. Created by Obsidian as a last ditch attempt to keep their studio from closing down, PoE not only saved the struggling developer but also made it very clear to everyone that there’s still a market for traditional RPGs (role-playing games).

Inspired by classic games like Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment, the developers of PoE took their new IP back to the roots of CRPGs (computer role-playing games) while making sure it would still be able to draw in a modern audience.

The game primarily focuses on telling an interesting and unique story, so if you love a good story then you’ll be very happy with PoE. Be prepared to do a lot of reading, though.
The combat system can be a bit challenging for newcomers - you’ll need to think strategically during battles, but there is a Story Mode difficulty that will let you run through the game without having to really worry about the enemies you may encounter along the way.

2. The Shadowrun Series (Shadowrun Returns, Shadowrun: Dragonfall, and Shadowrun: Hong Kong)
Platforms: PC (Steam and GOG)
Genre: Role-playing, Strategy
Difficulty for new gamers: Normal to high, depending on the person

I’m cheating with this one since they’re three games instead of one, but the games are so good that when you’ve finished one, you’ll definitely want to play the others!

Shadowrun Returns, Shadowrun: Dragonfall, and Shadowrun: Hong Kong are what happens when traditional fantasy meets dystopian cyberpunk. The results make for an interesting narrative that I have yet to see in any other CRPG. Like PoE, the game will make you read a lot and there’s absolutely no voice acting to give you a small break. If you love reading like I do, it’s a treat more than a chore.

Unlike PoE, the game’s battle system can be challenging to navigate, even on lower difficulty settings. Like the XCOM series, the combat is turn based and each character starts with two action points to complete a series of moves. In other words, moving, firing a weapon, reloading, or using special abilities will all require an x amount of action points. If you don’t have enough action points to complete a move, you can end your turn and either your remaining party members or enemies will then continue with their turn. A strategic mind is definitely a requirement here.

But please don’t let the combat’s potential difficulty scare you off! The game relies on its story, and if you make the “right” decisions then there will be times you’ll be able to walk through a mission without ever firing your weapon.

3. The Mass Effect Trilogy
Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Genre: Third-person shooter, role-playing
Difficulty for new gamers: Easy

If you love sci-fi and space, this is the game for you! Bioware used to be the ultimate granddaddy of RPGs, and their most famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) series is undoubtedly the original Mass Effect Trilogy.

Mass Effect is a third-person shooter with traditional RPG elements added in, so you’ll have complete control over the Shepard you play. These games also feature a cast of interesting characters, some of which you can even form romantic relationships with.

Play as the ultimate badass and save an entire galaxy from an ancient threat! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll even get angry, but one thing is for sure: you’ll never be bored.

4. Tyranny
Platforms: PC (Steam and GOG)
Genre: Role-playing
Difficulty for new gamers: Normal

Another game from Obsidian, but this one comes with a unique twist: you start the game as “the bad guy.” Okay, that is an extreme oversimplification, but your character, the Fatebinder, is an important part of the invading army. What you do after that is entirely up to you, though. Make nice with your allies and follow the will of the Overlord Kyros? You do that! Become a tyrant as you kill anyone and everyone in your way? Go for it! Ally with the locals and become an unlikely hero? Have fun!

The gameplay is the same as PoE’s, so if you’ve mastered that then you’ll have no problem with Tyranny. Sadly the game isn’t as popular as PoE is, but I’m still hoping there will be a sequel since the storyline was so unique and different from other CRPGs. It’s an absolute pleasure since it forced me to role-play as a character that wasn’t simply good or bad. I’d even argue that there are no “good” or “bad” guys in this game; it’s just war, and everything ugly that comes with it.

5. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: Role-playing
Difficulty for new gamers: Normal

This is the game that you’ll likely find on every “recommended” list out there, but that’s for a very good reason! The Witcher 3 is proof that you can have an open world without sacrificing story elements. Dark and gritty in a way that very few RPGs manage to be, this one isn’t for the faint of heart. Your decisions truly matter, even if you don’t think they do. Often you’ll be hit with the consequences of your actions much later in the game when you least expect it.

It’s the pinnacle of RPGs, and I truly mean that. I hated The Witcher (the first game) and I was ambivalent towards The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, but The Wild Hunt really blew me away.

The combat isn’t difficult, per se. You’ll need to master using Signs (the game’s version of magic), bombs, and various potions, and you definitely need to know when to walk away. Once you’ve done that, the rest of the gameplay will come easy to you.

The best part is you don’t have to play The Witcher and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings to understand The Wild Hunt if you don’t want to. TWH is pretty good at getting you up to speed with what’s happening and while some things in the first two do shape the third game, TWH doesn’t follow directly from where AoK left off.

6. The Uncharted Series
Platforms: PS3 (Uncharted 1-3), PS4 (Uncharted Remastered, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy)
Genre: Action-Adventure
Difficulty for new gamers: Easy

The most famous game series to come from the PlayStation console, Uncharted is absolutely a must play. It’s like being part of a movie, and every set piece will pump you full of adrenaline!

You play as Nathan Drake, a Treasure Hunter with a heart of gold and some really bad luck. Every new adventure sees Nate being pushed to his limits and put through the wringer, and I would feel sorrier for him if it weren’t so very entertaining.

The game features the acting talents of Nolan North, Emily Rose, Richard McGonagle, Claudia Black, and Troy Baker. If you don’t know these names, I promise you soon will. They’re gaming heavyweights.

The combat isn’t anything to worry about since it mostly involves running around and shooting enemies when they show up to make Nate’s life difficult. Unfortunately this means that the combat can and will feel a little tedious at times, but since the focus is on exploration, puzzle solving, and story, that’s not really a big problem.

7. The Wolf Among Us
Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Genre: Graphic adventure, interactive movie
Difficulty for new gamers: Very easy

If you’re new to gaming and you want something easy to unwind with, then Telltale games are the way to go.

The Wolf Among Us is based on Bill Willingham’s Fables comic, and it’s about various fairytale characters needing to survive in the real world. This isn’t Disney, however, so don’t expect sing-alongs and a sweet happily ever after! There are some dark themes to be found here; starting with a gruesome murder you need to solve.

Telltale games are the epitome of story-driven, so there’s no real battle system to worry about. Combat, the few times it does happen, is always a quick-time event. This means pressing the correct buttons or keys when they’re prompted on screen. It’s very easy, I promise.

Since it’s the shortest game on this list, you can breeze through this in one afternoon when you find you have nothing else to do.

There are so many other games I wanted to recommend, but this post is getting pretty long and it’s time to bring it to a close. If you have games you’d like to recommend, or just want to talk about, then feel free to comment! As you may have noticed, I can talk about this topic for hours.